Menu

GOOD PRIDE OR BAD?

The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. [Proverbs 16:5 (NIV)]

If asked to list the seven deadly sins, we might not recall sloth or gluttony, but we’d probably remember pride. With few exceptions, when we find mention of pride in Scripture, it has a negative connotation. It refers to arrogance, conceit, disrespect, haughtiness, and effrontery and prideful people are called stubborn, insolent, willful, and selfish. Since Scripture makes it clear that pride is a sin, where does that leave us when we enjoy the satisfied feeling of a job well done or the pleasure of receiving praise? What emotion is appropriate when we have attained a goal or succeeded at a difficult task? What feeling can we share with someone who has achieved something extraordinary? If not pride, what?

It is a sense of pride (of wanting to do my very best) that makes me work so hard at my writing and I confess to feeling proud when I receive a compliment on my work. Moreover, I’m proud of the accomplishments of my children and grands and I’m not sure any of that is wrong. Since we find the Apostle Paul expressing pride and even boasting, it would seem that there can be a good kind of pride.

Good pride has a sense of worth and is earned through effort and hard work; sinful pride over-estimates its worth and is competitive by nature. Rather than doing its best, it just wants to do better than others. Good pride makes a realistic assessment of itself and sees its faults. Sinful pride, however, has an inflated ego blind to its faults; instead of self-esteem, it is more like a low regard for everyone else. Good pride, like the pride Paul had in the Corinthians and Thessalonians, encourages others because it isn’t threatened by their success. Generous, it takes satisfaction in others’ accomplishments. On the other hand, sinful pride discourages and demeans; selfish, it takes satisfaction only in itself. While good pride is humble, quiet and self-assured, the other arrogantly blusters and brags.

The biggest difference between the two prides, of course, is their relationship to God. Good pride sees the need for God and has confidence in His power but sinful pride sees no need for God (or anyone or anything else) and has confidence only in self. Good pride exalts and worships God. It takes no credit for God’s gifts and, if it boasts, boasts only of what God’s grace has accomplished. Sinful pride, however, exalts and worships itself, takes all the credit and sings only its praises.

Rather that two different prides, I wonder if there could be just one kind of pride that exists on a continuum: acceptable or good pride on one end and sinful pride on the other. After all, there must be a continuum for other sins. At some point, eating (which is not sinful) can move into over-eating and then onto gluttony (which is a sin). For that matter, at what point does admiration turn into envy, desire into lust, or chatting turn into gossip? Somewhere on those continuums, what’s acceptable becomes what’s not.

Let us be cautious then, of self-reliance and over-confidence, lest our acceptable (and humble) sense of pride imperceptibly slides down the line toward arrogance, conceit, and sinful pride. We must never forget that anything we’ve managed to accomplish in this world has been possible only because God has encouraged, empowered, equipped and sustained us.

Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry. [Romans 11:13b (NIV)]

Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else. [Galatians 6:4 (NIV)]